State Police arrest Yonkers man after stopping vehicle with four children and finding him intoxicated

Tarrytown, New York – A late-night traffic stop on Interstate 87 led to the arrest of a Yonkers man who was allegedly driving under the influence while transporting four young children, State Police said.

In the early hours of July 27, 2025, at approximately 1:46 a.m., New York State Troopers from the Tarrytown barracks pulled over a gray Toyota traveling southbound near Exit 9 in the village of Tarrytown. During the stop, Troopers interviewed the driver, identified as Ruben M. Fernandez Urena, age 34, of Yonkers, and quickly observed signs of intoxication.

According to State Police, Fernandez Urena failed a series of field sobriety tests administered at the scene. The situation escalated further when Troopers discovered that four children—ages 12, 11, 7, and 5—were also inside the vehicle at the time of the stop.

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Fernandez Urena was immediately placed under arrest and transported to State Police Tarrytown for processing. There, he submitted to a breath test, which revealed a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.12%, well above the legal limit of 0.08%.

As a result, Fernandez Urena now faces multiple charges, including four felony counts of Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated with a Child Passenger under Leandra’s Law. This New York State law, enacted in 2009, makes it a felony to drive under the influence with a child under 16 in the vehicle.

In addition to the felony charges, he was also charged with Driving While Intoxicated – 1st Offense, Operating a Motor Vehicle with a BAC of 0.08% or Higher – 1st Offense, and various Vehicle and Traffic Law violations.

Following his arrest, Fernandez Urena was released to a sober third party. He is scheduled to appear in the Village of Tarrytown Court on August 20, 2025, to face the charges.

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The presence of children in the vehicle at the time of the incident has raised serious concerns among authorities, who emphasized the importance of responsible behavior behind the wheel—especially when young passengers are involved.

No injuries were reported in connection with the incident, and the condition or relationship of the children to the driver was not immediately disclosed.